


Another Knife In My Hands, A Stain That Never Comes Off

by SeraDomiCher



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst, Crying, Distraught Mess Edelgard, Emotional Stability Byleth, Vomit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:13:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23231503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SeraDomiCher/pseuds/SeraDomiCher
Summary: After the Battle of the Holy Tomb, Edelgard comes to the realization that she isn't nearly as strong as she thought she was.
Relationships: Edelgard von Hresvelg & My Unit | Byleth
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18
Collections: Those Who Drabble in the Dark





	Another Knife In My Hands, A Stain That Never Comes Off

The flash of the Warp spell gave way to the greenery of the designated forest clearing outside of Garreg Mach. Byleth took a moment to blink the spots from his eyes before he noticed Edelgard’s absence from his side. He spun around and noticed Edelgard leaning against a tree at the edge of the clearing, presumably vomiting if the sputtering and retching was to be believed. 

Hubert was the first to get to her side. He placed a hand on her shoulder, but was barely able to get a word out before Edelgard swiftly swatted it away with her gauntleted hand, leaving a minor cut on his wrist. “Don’t touch me!”, she cried as she stepped away from him. 

“My Lady,” Hubert said, keeping his voice level and face even, “are you ill?” 

“No,” Edelgard replied, turning enough that Byleth could see that she was crying, and that there were, indeed, bits of lost lunch along the front of her black robes. Byleth couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity for the once-mighty Flame Emperor, reduced to this little girl who just couldn’t handle the world as well as she thought she could. 

“We need to get moving,” she continued. “We need to…” Her words trailed off as she finally glanced over towards Byleth, and was apparently transfixed by his gaze. The only word that was able to escape her paralyzed body was a choked “Why?” 

Byleth scrunched his eyebrows. “...why what?” he asked. 

“Why do you follow me?” Edelgard continued. “After everything I’ve done, after everything you’ve gone through because of me-” she let the tears flow again as she stepped towards Byleth, “-after everything that you _loved_ that I _destroyed_ , and you still choose to _walk with me_ -” she lost control of her own voice and started sobbing, barely getting her words out, “- _why are you still looking at me like that?!_ ” 

Edelgard launched herself into Byleth, her face finding his place smothered against his chest, and her hands tightly gripping his arms. Byleth stumbled back slightly, but failed to let her topple him. Even through the armor of the Flame Emperor, he could feel Edelgard’s sobs racking her body. He looked towards Hubert, making sure he wasn’t putting his life at risk by touching Edelgard, but Hubert didn’t even glance up at him from Edelgard. 

Byleth hesitantly put his hands around Edelgard. His arms didn’t even reach past hers, but he held her as tight as he could anyways. Her words sputtered out against his chest, again and again, as her emotions overrode her need for sense. Hubert turned away, feigning a scan of the forest for intruders or interlopers, but primarily left the two of them with some semblance of privacy. 

Edelgard eventually detached herself from Byleth, taking a step back to create some distance between them. She took off her gauntlets and wiped her hands over her face in an attempt to clear off the snot and tears. It didn’t do a good job, but Byleth didn’t think it was polite to point that out. 

Edelgard looked up at Byleth, this time with a little more composure. “I’m sorry you had to witness that,” she said. She side-stepped Byleth, and made her way towards Hubert. “Are we ready to rendezvous with the rest?” 

“Yes, My Lady,” Hubert replied, glancing back towards Byleth with a grateful expression, and then refocusing on Edelgard. “The remaining troops have returned to the forward base, and are awaiting our arrival.” 

“Good,” Edelgard said. She looked back at Byleth, and he saw that the sadness, while back under a white porcelain mask of its own, still showed through her eyes. “Let’s go,” she called out to him. 

He followed. 


End file.
